Writing your objections
Your objection needs to be objective and based on valid planning grounds. Some valid planning grounds are given below. The letter should be also be personal - why does it concern you. For instance you may play cricket or take your children to the rec or walk the dog. You may be worried about security.
How to Object
You need to send your comments to Hinckley and Bosworth planning office. There
are a number of ways to do this.
Email: to planning@hinckley-bosworth.gov.ukFUL and your name and address.
Reasons for objection
These are the most common objections we are hearing:1. Landscape Character. It is in effect a major industrial development in Stoke Golding and is not in keeping with its character with its surroundings in terms of scale or character. Therefore is does not comply with local policy NE5 (development in the countryside) which says that developments must not have an adverse effect on the appearance or character of the landscape.
2. Visual Amenity. It would severely impact on the visual amenity of the recreation ground which is a public space widely used by residents young and old. The attractive link between the village and the countryside would be destroyed by the installation of 7,870 solar panels, associated equipment & 2.4m high metal security fencing. This loss will affect the whole community in some way or other. The National Planning Policy Framework requires developments to promote: high quality public space, which encourage the active and continual use of public areas.
This degradation of landscape character and visual amenity is in direct contradiction the the Hinckley Core Strategy 2009 (Policy 11) which for Stoke Golding explicitly states "Address the existing deficiencies in the quality, quantity and accessibility of green space and play provision in Stoke Golding ..."
3. Lack of consultation. Residents were not adequately consulted despite this being a major development on their door step. They have not had adequate opportunity to understand the proposals and raise concerns.
These are not the only concerns. In a number of areas there are still outstanding issues which have not be resolved to the satisfaction of the local authority. Some of these arise from the uniqueness of the location so close to where the community lives and plays. The developer is unable to give a reference site where solar panels are so close to where people live.
For instance:
- loss of amenity; cricket and football teams use the rec on a regular basis. Balls frequently go into the field (2-3 times per cricket game on average). Cricketers are concerned about losing balls and liability for damage to solar panels. There is a very real risk that the adult cricket team will relocate outside the village. This would clearly put the future of the childrens' cricket team at risk.
- noise; there is no noise impact assessment. We know there is noise from the inverters and possibly cooling fans and we know there can be wind noise around the metal supports for the panels - we don't know how much or how this affects people.
- flooding; the ground underneath the solar panels will not be able to absorb water and hence there will be additional run off. We do not know where this water will go. We do already know that the recreation ground has drainage issues. The Environment Agency are not happy with the submitted flood risk assessment.
- security; the is no detail of lighting or security systems. How will the area be made safe for children using the recreation ground. We know children climb the trees alongside the planned boundary fence.
- brownfield; once the site has been built upon there is a significant danger that the site could be considered brownfield in the future and so could be a preferred site for houses or some other industrial use which is at odds with the Local Plan.
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